B.O.A.T.

taz42169 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:37 am

So I jumped up on my 248 yesterday to start getting her ready for the season. I look at the engine hatch (the larger of the two which is where the deck table mounts) and figure I'll paint the table mount. Paint is chipping and could really use some TLC. I bring the engine hatch into the garage, remove the nuts and bolts holding the table mount and realize there is wood (or what I believed to be wood) between the fiberglass.

Now, I say "what I believed to be wood" because it was saturated and pretty much rotted away! I could get my fingers between the fiberglass and was just pulling gobs of saturated, rotten wood out. I can only imagine the wood was saturated and rotted as a result of washing it with the water getting in from between the deck and table mount.

I called the closest Four Winns dealer which is only an 85 mile drive but it was too late for them to get ahold of Four Winns to check on a replacement. The dealer was shocked when I told him what I had found, he was under the impression it was solid fiberglass.

I am in the process of drying out what is left. I am going to fill it with fire resistant insulation foam and put it in the shed to use as a spare....

Hopefully the replace piece is reasonably priced. UFB!

JeffLW · **Posted:** Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:48 am

Interesting.
Thanks. I'll put that on my list of things to check this weekend.

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 26, 2013 9:28 am

I always assumed that was solid fiberglass :shock:

How thick is the wood inside there...1/4 inch?

hutch9900 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:14 pm **Posts:** 456

On my Sundowner there was wood in the middle of the fiberglass. I was a little shocked to find that myself.

TFD2001 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:52 am

The swim platform on my '04 328 has a wood core, at least in the ladder well.. Discovered this while mounting my grill's pedestal.

hutch9900 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:14 pm **Posts:** 456

TFD2001 wrote:

The swim platform on my '04 328 has a wood core, at least in the ladder well.. Discovered this while mounting my grill's pedestal.

EXACTLY the same for me. That is how I found out too.

taz42169 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:22 pm

$700 later, I'll get back to you on the measurement of the core. I just shot the old one with insulation foam so I can walk around the deck. Part number 110-50163 (forward of the 2) and if you need the rear piece 110-50164 ($400). Luckily didn't need that one.

The $700 only gets you the deck itself. Luckily all of my hardware is still good to go. When I spoke with Four Winns today, I asked that when they build this one (because they have to build it), they at least resin the exposed wood core.

Good thing is, it will be shipped to me vs. the dealership. P.S., Four Winns now uses Teleflex Extreme control cables. $55.00 for each one. Ordered both of them while I was it..... :shock:

FYI....248's control cable lengths are 16' and 17'
Part numbers: 041-0383 16 foot
041-0384 17 foot

JeffLW · **Posted:** Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:22 pm

Checked mine today and its dry and solid.

ric · **Posted:** Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:39 pm

TFD2001 wrote:

The swim platform on my '04 328 has a wood core, at least in the ladder well.. Discovered this while mounting my grill's pedestal.

Ditto

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:58 pm

I don't know when exactly they changed from wood to composites but on the older boats, all the cores were wood, the stringers, transom, deck, etc. Not glassing the wood cores adequately is a big problem on all makes of boats.

ric · **Posted:** Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:54 pm

Composite cored structures are not exactly better than wood either

taz42169 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:58 pm

Glad you all fared better than I did. At least I caught it before someone ended up standing on my spark arrestor.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:15 pm

The outcome depends more on the workmanship than the material, but most boat companies are moving away from wood because it seems that the market does not want wood. Interestingly, some boat builders have stuck with it because it gives a combination of stiffness and durability (as long as it does not get wet) that is hard to get from composites. Once you have replaced a lot of rotted wood in a boat you will not want another boat with a lot of wood in it, unless it is close to new and you can control the storage and maintenance practices.

www.iFourWinns.com

B.O.A.T.

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